He eyes the spot next to me, and I raise an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”
“Why isn’t he up?”
“I tired him out,” I tell him, staring him down. He stares at the bed a moment longer and then back at me.
“Let’s go.”
“I’m not even dressed yet.”
“Not my problem.”
I stare at him. “Get out so I can change.” My words are slow and deliberate. He finally relents.
“Five minutes.”
I wait until they close the door, and then I get to work. I don’t trust Ajax not to come back sooner than five minutes, and I don’t want to be wearing only Hunter’s shirt when he does. “I hate him.” Hunter’s words follow me into the bathroom.
“Join the crowd,” I tell him right before I step inside. Because I took a shower last night, it takes me just a few minutes to be ready to go. And not a moment too soon.
Ajax bangs on the door. “Let’s go.”
I meet Hunter’s dark gaze from across the room. I want to say so many things, but I simply nod at him. I have to go. I open the door quickly and slip out, keeping Hunter from their view.I make a mental note to bite him again tonight, so he has bite marks should they check him again.
I follow Ajax and another vampire, I don’t know, to the elevators. This time, we head to the girls’ room first. He puts his thumb on the scanner, and the door unlocks. I mentally urge her to be up and dressed. I walk into the room behind Ajax and give the room a once-over, looking for the girl. Thankfully, she’s good on both counts. She glares daggers at both of us, and I find myself happy about that. She hasn’t lost her fight yet. That’s good; she’s going to need it. She comes with us without screaming this time, and I wonder at her change of heart. Her bravery leaves her, though, when we get to the room. “No,” she says softly at first and then louder. “No.” She tries to get away, but Ajax grabs her around her middle and all but throws her on the table.
He turns to look at me. “Why are you just standing there?” he snarls at me over the girl’s screams. The other vampire is already securing her legs, and I go to work securing her arms. I make sure to avoid eye contact as I do. As soon as she’s secure, they both disappear. I find myself relieved, even as the girl continues to plead and cry to me. I do my best to block out her cries and administer the mask as gently as I can. She thrashes her head, so it takes a little bit, but I finally get it. Within a few minutes, her screams die down, and she relaxes into a comatose state. I get to work on the blood draw. I stare at the blood leaving her system and wonder what would happen if I didn’t collect as much as they said. I let it go for a little while and then start the process to end the blood draw, but a piercing alarm splits the silence. I jump and quickly continue the blood draw.
Well, that settles that. I’d have to figure out a way to get rid of the blood once it’s collected instead. It’s not long after that, the alarm for ending the blood draw sounds. I finish and then take off the face mask, so she can start to wake up. My nervesare on edge as I wait for her to wake up. It takes almost an hour for her to wake up. When she does, her eyes instantly find mine, and I prepare for the ensuing battle. But she sits up and lets her legs hang off the bed a moment. I don’t move towards her, not wanting to frighten her. A few minutes later, she hops off the table. When she’s steady on her feet, she looks over at me. “You’re not going to fight me?” I ask, still prepared for her to rush me.
“Will it do any good?” she asks. I shake my head because I have my orders and my reason for doing what I’m doing, even though I hate this whole thing. “Then no. I’m not going to.”
She's so quiet and calm, I almost miss the hellcat from yesterday. “I’m supposed to take you to your room.”
She walks towards the door without a word, and I follow her warily. I’m waiting for her to run or rush me, but she does neither. She walks to her door and stops. I stop as well. “Is it programmed to you?” I ask, nodding at the finger scan. She gives me a look. “I'll take that as a no.”
I look down the hallway, wondering what I’m supposed to do. “I guess I’ll have to find somebody.”
“You can’t do it?” she asks in surprise.
I almost laugh and tell her I’m just as much a prisoner here, but I can’t afford for someone to overhear or for her to tell somebody. So, I just shake my head in answer to her question. I glance down the hallway and don’t see anybody. “Come on. We’ll have to find somebody.” I start down the hallway and turn back when I don’t sense her next to me. She’s a little way back, and I wait for her to catch up. When we start again, I make a conscious effort to keep my steps slow.
“Where are you going?” Ajax’s voice rings out behind us.
I turn around. “We can’t open her door.”
He eyes the two of us suspiciously. I meet his hard gaze; it’s the truth. I have nothing to hide. “Fine,” he says, soundingirritated. He walks down the hallway and gets there before we do. He waits impatiently for us. The girl walks inside without a word, and Ajax closes the door. “Here.” I turn to him. “Put your thumb here.” I stare at him in surprise and then do as he says. He pushes a few buttons and then has me do it again. It’s too fast and complicated for me to catch what he’s doing. He pushes my thumb down harder, but I don’t react in any way. “There. Now you don’t have to bother me anymore. You can get her back in her room after each of her sessions.” He faces me. “Don’t forget.” He nods behind me. “Cameras. Everywhere.”
“Good to know,” I respond, as if I couldn't care less.
“Get her at noon and then again tonight at seven.”
I blink in surprise. “She does this three times a day?”
He steps close, and I hate that he’s taller than me. He's not as tall as Hunter, but he has at least an inch on me. “Is that a problem?”
I force myself to drop my gaze. “No.”
“Good. Be where you need to be when you need to be. Don’t forget the—”
